The US-based MUTUAL UFO Network (MUFON) is investigating after a stark drop in reported sightings for the first quarter of 2017.

MUFON is the world’s biggest organisation dedicated to alien research and keeps searchable online global database of suspicious sightings reported by the public.

Robert Powell, MUFON director of research, said reports from within the US were down by 32 per cent from January to March this year, based on the average amounts over the previous five years.

Domestic UFO reports for the first quarter 2017 are down a staggering 32 per cent as compared to the averse for the same period over the previous five years, according to Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) Director of Research Robert Powell.

From January 1 to March 31, 2017, the MUFON US database showed 992 UFO reports where the case occurred during January, February or March.

The average over the last five years for that period was around 1,460 cases.

Mr Powell said: “We have no current explanation on why the drop in UFO reports.

“One can speculate that people are seeing fewer UFOs or that they are just not reporting them.”

The National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), also based in the US, which keeps a similar sightings database, has seen the same trend.

Its director Peter Davenport said: “NUFORC averaged about 1,402 cases during the first quarters 2012 through 2016.

“The first quarter 2017 is showing just 954 cases – about a 32 per cent drop as well.”

MUFON communications director Roger Marsh said: “Peter and I have traded stats over the years.

“If he calls and says he’s having a surge in reports in general, or with one particular shape, that wave is always mirrored in the MUFON database.

“While some people report into both databases, most reports are actually unique to the database.

“We’ve seen dips and highs in the past, and they usually run in two to three-month cycles.”